


The Greatest Secret

by invisible_aliens



Series: Carry On Countdown 2018 [14]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Love Confessions, M/M, Secrets, Truth Spells
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 05:39:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16907148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/invisible_aliens/pseuds/invisible_aliens
Summary: Everyone at Watford's under a truth spell, and now must reveal their greatest secret.Written for the Carry On Countdown 2018, Day 14: A Cliche





	The Greatest Secret

**SIMON**

“How did this happen?” demands the Mage.

I go to shrug it off, but instead I say, “I think Gareth messed up a spell. Actually, I'm glad it wasn't me for once.”

He frowns. “Are you sure it wasn't Baz, trying to get information for the Old Families?”

“I don't think so. He's more worried about it than anyone else. He hasn't left our room, and every time I go there he hides in the bathroom.”

“Well, he does have a lot of secrets to hide. Maybe you should ask him some questions.”

I could get him to confess he's a vampire.

I already suggested this to Penny, but she advised against it.

“I could get him to confess everything! His plotting, being a vampire, all of it!” I said.

“It's immoral!” she said.

“But he's evil!”

“You don't actually know that for sure.”

“That's why I have to ask him!”

But since our conversation I have felt uncomfortable about the idea. Unable to outright lie to the Mage about what I'm going to ask Baz, I just say, “I'll see what I can do.” Nice and vague.

 

The first awkward conversation I had under the truth spell was with Agatha.

“I love you,” I said, like I always do, but then compulsively added, “but as a friend.”

I tried to take it back, but it didn't work.

“That's how feel as well,” she replied, weirdly casual.

“You're going after Baz, aren't you.”

She looked thoughtful. “No,” she said finally, “I don't love him that way either. I don’t love anyone that way.”

I left as fast as I could, and went to find Penny.

“What's going on?” I asked. “I just had a really weird conversation with Agatha, and I think we've broken up. Although we didn't actually say that, exactly, just-”

“It's a truth spell. None of us can lie, and you have to answer all questions you're asked. With the truth, obviously.”

 

But I don't ask Baz any questions when I reach our room. He's skulking in the bathroom, anyway. Which is really irritating when I need to use the toilet.

“Baz, come out. I really need to pee.”

“I don't want to. You'll just bombard me with questions, and I might reveal something, like- something I don't want to reveal.”

That's the other thing about this truth spell. It makes it really hard to not just ramble on.

“I won't! And you know I'm not lying. I wanted to ask, but Penny made me feel guilty about the whole idea, because you might not actually be evil, and-”

“Of course I'm not actually evil,” he growls, opening the door.

“Yeah, well that's what _you_ think.”

 

When I come out, I say, “you're worried I'm going to ask _you_ questions you don't want to answer, but you could just as easily ask _me_ questions _I_ don't want to answer.”

He smirks. “I could. I won't, though. Damn, I didn't really want to admit that.”

He winces slightly.

  


**BAZ**

It's terrifying. At any moment, I could let it slip that I'm in love with him. (Fortunately he thinks I'm trying to hide that I'm a vampire. And true, I do want to keep that hidden, but he does already know that.)

Thank _God_ Bunce talked him out of asking me anything.

 

When Dev and Niall told me, they thought it was hilarious.

“And no one can lie,” laughed Niall. “You should have seen Miss Possibelf's face when she admitted stealing food from the kitchens! It was priceless.”

And while I admit, that sounded entertaining, I was more concerned about what _I_ might give away.

“Right,” I said, trying to think of a way to leave without lying, “I think I might go to my room for a while. I don't feel too good.”

The idea of announcing my love for Snow had me me nauseous.

 

The next morning, the spell hasn't worn off.

The Mage addressed the school. (Which was really quite brave of him, considering.)

“We've looked into this truth spell that is affecting us all, and we believe, well, we greatly hope, it will go away when everyone has revealed their greatest secret to at least one other person. Before you leave the hall, we will ask everyone if they have told someone their greatest secret. If you haven't, you will be asked to stay behind.”

 _Shit_.

  


**SIMON**

“Do you even know what your greatest secret is?” I ask Penny.

“No. But I don't really have many secrets of my own, so I'm bound to have told somebody.”

“I just have no idea what it could be.”

Penny looks thoughtful. “Your life is rather public. Everyone knows you're terrible at magic, but great with a sword, extremely brave and you always think Baz is plotting.”

“He is! I bet that's his biggest secret.”

He isn't allowed to leave the hall, and just to be safe, neither am I, even though both Penny and Agatha are.

 

Slowly, people find someone they trust to tell their secret to until it's just Baz and I sitting in the hall.

“Someone could just ask you what you're secret is,” the Mage says to Baz. “But we're giving you the option of choosing who to tell.”

He looks over at me. “And Simon, please think harder about what your secret is.”

  


**BAZ**

He doesn't know.

It's weird, when for me the answer is so obvious.

And it's starting to become obvious I'm going to have to tell someone.

I don't want to tell anyone. There is no one I can tell. (Maybe we can pull a random Normal off the street?)

“I'm giving you both ten minutes to work this out.”

He walks away, and I'm left with Snow.

“How can you not know?” I ask.

“I don't know!”

“You don't know how you can't know.”

“Yeah.” He frowns. “Look, I'd be happy to tell someone if I knew what it was, unlike you. What's your problem? The whole school's going to hate you if we're stuck like this. You should just find someone you feel comfortable telling. You can even tell me, if you like.”

He gives me what I _think_ is  meant to be an encouraging smile.

“I can't think of anyone I'd want to tell less than you. Although I also really want to tell you. All the time, I could just-”

I shut up. Snow looms confused.

“Is this about me, then? It's your plan to kill me, isn't it.”

“No, it's about how much I love you.”

_Shit._

Snow just stares at me. “You _love_ me? That's… That's insane. Although I love you too.” He frowns.” I didn't mean to say that. Was that my biggest secret? So big even I didn't know?”

This can't be true. But it has to be, since we're under a truth spell. (Or we _were_ , at least…)

“Dev and Niall are sitting next to me,” I try. “It worked! You got it, Simon! That was your secret! And you fucking love me back!”

At that point the Mage walks in. “What have you decided?” he asks.

I stand up. “We've told each other our secrets, and the spell is broken. Sorry for the delay.” I grab Simon's arm and pull him after me.

“But… But you two hate each other!” exclaims the Mage.

I smile back at him. “Do we?”


End file.
